Intro
GAC Group is a major Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong. Established in 1997, it is a Fortune Global 500 company ranked 165th in 2023, with annual production and sales exceeding 2.5 million vehicles. Recently, GAC has expanded into intelligent robotics, focusing on embodied intelligence and humanoid robots.
On December 26, 2024, GAC unveiled its third-generation humanoid robot, GoMate, at the China Robotics Network Annual Conference in Shanghai. GoMate represents a significant breakthrough for GAC in intelligent robotics, marking the start of a new era for embodied intelligent humanoid robots. The robot is designed as a versatile "smart tool" with wide applications across security, healthcare, automotive aftermarket, logistics, and education, aimed at enhancing human efficiency and capabilities.
GoMate is a full-sized wheeled humanoid robot with 38 degrees of freedom and an innovative variable wheel-foot mobility structure that allows switching between four-wheel and two-wheel modes. In four-wheel mode, it stands about 1.4 meters tall and can navigate stairs, slopes, and obstacles; in two-wheel mode, it reaches 1.75 meters and becomes more agile and space-efficient. The robot integrates GAC’s proprietary pure-vision autonomous driving algorithms, FIGS-SLAM for spatial intelligence, cloud-based multimodal AI large models, and immersive teleoperation via 3D scene reconstruction and VR headsets.
The robot features centimeter-level indoor/outdoor SLAM positioning, sensitive obstacle avoidance up to 100 meters, and a low-cost, high-performance hardware platform including dexterous hands, miniature servo actuators, and axial flux motors delivering high torque density. GoMate’s battery life reaches up to six hours using GAC’s all-solid-state batteries. Its software supports seamless switching between remote control and AI autonomous modes, with advanced perception, voice command recognition, and full-body control algorithms.
GAC plans to begin pilot deployments of GoMate in industries such as automotive production lines in 2025, with small-scale volume production targeted for 2026 and mass production thereafter. The company is positioning GoMate beyond factory automation, aiming at commercial applications in security, elderly care, logistics, and education.
Robots
- GoMate: Third-generation embodied intelligent humanoid robot featuring 38 degrees of freedom, variable wheel-leg mobility, advanced AI perception, autonomous navigation, and teleoperation capabilities.
Specialism
GAC specializes in embodied intelligent humanoid robots that combine advanced mobility (wheeled and legged), AI-driven perception, autonomous navigation, and dexterous manipulation. Their robots are designed for complex real-world environments, with applications in security, healthcare, automotive aftermarket, logistics, and education. The company leverages its automotive technology expertise in vision algorithms, battery technology, and actuator design.
Business Viability
- Strong backing as a Fortune Global 500 state-owned enterprise with extensive manufacturing and R&D resources.
- Integration of proprietary hardware and software components enables cost-effective, high-performance robotic solutions.
- Demonstrated advanced AI and mobility technologies, including SLAM, multimodal AI, and teleoperation.
- Clear roadmap for pilot deployment in 2025 and small-scale production in 2026, targeting multiple industries.
- Strategic shift to commercial applications beyond automotive factories, addressing broader market needs.
- Energy-efficient design with over 80% energy savings compared to similar robots enhances operational viability.
- Growing interest and support from Chinese government and industry stakeholders.
